13 new Covid cases found in North Bengal

Thirteen new Covid- 19 cases have been detected across north
Bengal in the past 24 hours. Siliguri was on the edge today after two
cases were found in two Wards, while Malda reported eight more cases in
migrant workers, and North Dinajpur reported two cases in Karandighi.

On the other hand, throat swab samples of a driver who drove a
‘vaccine van’ from Kolkata to Alipurduar some time ago was also tested
positive for Covid 19. Sources in Siliguri said a 47- year-old resident
of Babu Para in Ward 27, an insurance agent, had returned from Kolkata
on 11 May and was advised to remain under home quarantine.

They also said that a 40-year-old fruit seller of Dangipara in Ward 6
was also found positive. It was, however, not clear if he had some
travel history. The swab samples were tested at the Viral Research and
Diagnostics Laboratory at the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital.
Darjeeling district chief medical officer of health Dr Pralay Acharya
confirmed the two cases.

“According to the test reports, two persons have been tested positive
for Covid-19. We are in the process of identifying those who came in
contact with them,” he said. Areas falling within a threekm radius of
the houses of the duo will be declared ‘containment zones,’ while the
wards have been sealed.

In Malda, the eight new cases took the case tally to 34 in the
district last night, even as 477 workers reached Malda Town Station from
Hyderabad this morning. Residents went into a panic mode after it was
alleged that the workers were sent home without their throat swabs
collected for tests and without proper screening.

On the other hand, Malda administration sources said around 3000
samples are awaiting tests, and this has temporarily halted collection
of more samples. “So far, tests have been arranged for labourers coming
in from Delhi, Gujarat and Maharashtra. People who came today have been
home quarantined after they were screened and handed over food and
water,” Malda DM, Rajarshi Mitra, said.

Sources said five of the eight fresh patients were from Manikchak and
one each from Harishchandrapur, Kaliachak- II and Chanchal-II, and that
all the samples were collected from the Gourkanya bus terminus a few
days ago. All the positive patients have been admitted in the Covid
Hospital at Narayanpur under the Malda police station, while four more
auxiliary hospitals are being readied to accommodate asymptomatic
corona-affected persons.

A Shramik special train arrived in Malda this morning with 1492
workers from Hyderabad, of whom 477 were from Malda, 85 from Nadia, 248
from Murshidabad, 79 from North Dinajpur and 12 from South Dinajpur.
“These workers were sent to their respective districts from the railway
station in 33 buses,” sources said, adding, “A total of 271 more were
sent to the NJP station from where they will go to their villages.”

In North Dinajpur, the two fresh cases were detected among migrant
workers in Kamartore and Khetria villages in Karandighi. They had
recently returned home from Maharastra and had been under home
quarantine. The district has so far seen 10 Covid-positive cases.
However, district health officials did not want to say anything on the
fresh cases.

On the other hand, a train carrying migrant workers is set to reach
Raiganj station from Kanpur early tomorrow. “A total of 226 workers will
get down from the train at the Raiganj station, and they will be
screened and advised either institutional or home quarantine,” sources
said. In Alipurduar, the driver from Kolkata had reached Alipurduar on
10 May, and left the next day after delivering the medical supplies.

“The driver’s swab samples had been tested and the reports came
today. All the concerned have been informed accordingly,” said the
Alipurduar Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr Puran Sharma. It is
learnt that the vehicle had been disinfected as soon as it arrived in
the district, while the driver who asked to remain in isolation in a
hotel.

Primary contacts, including some health technicians, have been
quarantined and swabs taken for tests, it is learnt. Notably, one of the
four persons, who had tested Covid-19 positive in Alipurduar district,
was released the previous week after he recovered, sources said.

https://www.thestatesman.com

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Thirteen new Covid- 19 cases have been detected across north Bengal in the past 24 hours. Siliguri was on the edge today after two cases were found in two Wards, while Malda reported eight more cases in migrant workers, and North Dinajpur reported two cases in Karandighi.